LOOKING AT THE BRIGHT SIDE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Did it ever occur to you that there is a bright side to this very scary pandemic?  I'm sure, this has tickled your mind fleetingly once or twice or numerous times. 

This pandemic has brought out the best and the worse in all of us.  But  I believe that the plusses outnumber the negatives;  I for one has been counting and recording the good things that we, the people did and are still doing during these uncertain times. 

First and foremost is that we learned self preservation.  When people didn't have work, they found alternatives to earn a living or to augment their income.   We see a lot of product offerings on social media promoting self-made crafts, home-grown fruits and vegetables, herbs and ornamental plants.. 

Many started offering home-cooked meals and snacks, some found their old tried and tested heirloom family recipes useful which gave them an edge because they are already known in the market. 

Many found a way to help others.; if they have the means, they donated money, if not they helped raise funds using their talents or influence.  

We learned that staying home is not a confinement nor a sacrifice.  We know that by doing so, we are already saving lives.  We realized that being at home with the family is a blessing in disguise because it is  something that we have always wanted in the first place; but for one reason or another, we were too busy or too preoccupied with other activities. 

Staying home made decluttering possible, fixing the house, cleaning  drawers and other things that we can only do during vacation. We found time to decorate and improve our surroundings. 

We had the time to bake.  We even enjoyed doing that with the children.  Did you know that many a time, the supermarkets ran out of flour and baking soda?   I wonder how many hundreds or thousands of cookies were baked during this lockdown.  

By the way, have you tasted the pandemic pandesal?  In the Philippines it has become a craze, almost everyone is baking it or selling it that's why I jokingly call it the pandemic pandesal, it is very much promoted on social media. It is color violet, the pandemic color, yay!   Actually it is the color of the ube (yam) with real ube and cheese filling.  The taste mimics the salted caramel combination of the sweet and salty.  It is so soft and spongy, great with coffee, better than doughnuts for a change. 

We simplified our meals. There is never a time than now that we cooked as many pasta meals;  egg noodles, glass noodles and rice noodles because when we shopped for the lockdown, we thought that those are the easiest meals to prepare. 

We enjoyed gardening for reasons more than pleasure. Many of us planted veggies to augment our budget or just for the eventuality that when there is no food to be bought, at least we have a fallback.  Now our garden looks very much tended. 

At last we were able to read the books we never got to do earlier.  There was also time to play games and  watch Netflix with the family.  Most of all we had the time to unwind.  The two-week vacation a year given to employees is not enough, it would take at least a month or two to totally unwind, depending on how wound up we are. 

After four months of restricted movement, we are now concerned with helping boost the economy.  Didn't we see a lot of posts on social media saying to buy local?  "Help the farmers, buy their produce"; "buy taho (bean curd jelly) from the roving vendor",  "be generous in giving tips to those who serve;  the waiters, barbers, delivery man, the security guards and everyone who is trying his best to earn a living", they say. 

I can go on and on about the good that this pandemic brought us but most importantly,  I observed that many of us found our way back to The Almighty, seeking and pleading for help to end this pandemic. 

I myself is optimistic that something good will come out of this soon.  With our limited minds, we cannot understand, we do not know what to do but I believe that God willed this for a reason, for a better plan beyond our comprehension, beyond what we can ever dream of.  

Let us all remember that we cannot see the entire parade, we only see a part of the parade, the parade that is God's plan for us. 

So folks, don't despair.  Hopefully, the post of my good friend Nina that I'd like to echo here will put us in a better perspective. 

"Life is made up of special moments that make life worth living.  There are many cherished moments that are missed due to stress and the fast pace of daily life.  We MUST slow down and remember how precious it is to be alive" .

HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR TIME?

Reggie, a former colleague post a picture of his wall clock on Facebook and asked:  "how do you spend your time?".

Off hand I commented:

"Hopefully I'm using my time in productive ways.  Is doing Facebook productive?  For me it is because I'm socializing with friends, socialization being a spiritual need of man as claimed by Maria Montessori. 

Reggie replied: "It is productive Ninang! Use of technology maybe virtual but we reach out and connect with friends and relatives" 

I wonder what many of us do during our "me time".  Do you practice hygge?  For those who have not encountered hygge, I read that it is a Danish word pronounced as "hue-gah" or "hoo-guh" and shortlisted as the word of the year by the Oxford English Dictionary in 2016.  They say that there is no direct English translation and is described as "the atmosphere where we are most comfortable". "An outlook that focuses on simple pleasures" , according to Montanahappy.com 

It is during our relax time that we savor simple things like drinking coffee in the garden, watching the sunset over a glass of red,  connecting with friends via social media, dozing in the bathtub, reading a book or just lounging on a favorite chair taking a siesta.  All those are considered hygge, because they give us satisfaction that enhance our well being. 

How do I spend my time? Here's how.

To maximize our time we need to prioritize and get the more important things out of the way first.  That's the reason I do my walking first thing in the morning.  But before I do that, I still hygge, as I enjoy my morning coffee; taking slow sips because to me, every hot sip infuses warmth. 

My morning exercise is not just walking, there are many things that make my walk interesting and enjoyable.  The early morning tranquility is soothing;  the miracle of sunrise as the sun climbs up to the sky and Illuminates the earth is always a sight to behold.   

Breathing in fresh air and feeling the cool morning breeze is refreshing and invigorating.  I marvel at birds that fly in front, behind and around me, hearing them chirp as they flock together on tree tops and on electric wires is simple joy. 

I find pleasure taking pictures along the way; the sunrise and the cloud formation that is different everyday are great subjects.  Colorful and vibrant flowers, birds and unique plants and trees  always fascinate me.  Most of the time those pictures come out on my Facebook posts.   

Walking is also my time for meditation and prayer. It is a great opportunity to thank The Lord for His blessings, healing, guidance, enlightenment and protection.  This is when I ask Him to stay with me, with my family, in our home, in our minds and hearts.  Walking 10,000 steps (takes me an hour and a half, I walk slow), gives me the time to complete the 4 mysteries of the Holy Rosary along with my requests for special intentions. 

I made a lot of friends by walking the streets of our enclave everyday.  I exchange greetings with young joggers and with older people who just walk like me.  House-helps working on the front lawn, drivers cleaning cars and street cleaners greet me because I greet them back with a smile.   Homeowners tending to their gardens are friendly since they see me everyday; a couple often invite me to join them for coffee occasionally.  I refuse of course, but I graciously thank them and often chat for awhile. 

When I became interested in bougainvilla, I was always on the lookout for the colorful varieties around the enclave.  Some homeowners were generous to give me cuttings to propagate. When I had enough, I started collecting crepe myrtle as well until I got all the colors from people I befriended  along the way. 

Breakfast with my husband is another highlight of my day.  In between spoons-full of oatmeal, bread and cheese; some days forks-full  of bacon and pancakes, we compare notes on news we read; we talk about the latest on our children and grandchildren.  We update each other about our friends and remind each other to greet birthday and anniversary celebrants.

After breakfast I garden, this is another activity that I enjoy especially when I see my plants are growing well.  Lunch preparation follows.  After lunch is  "me time"  again.  Siesta invigorates me and gives me energy to take on the rest of the afternoon and evening activities. 

That about sums up my day and it works for me.  I live, I love! 

I just don't know whether this is ideal for those who go to work or moms with babies but it is good for retirees for sure.  Whether we are working to earn a living, just doing housework or pursuing other endeavors, I do encourage everyone to allot  for "me time". 

Let's hygge! 

GARDENING DURING THE PANDEMIC

My younger daughter sent me an interesting and fascinating link yesterday from the Daily Mail, Australia written by Matilde Rudd and Cindy Tran.  It was so funny, it made me laugh and  surely made my day!   

It is about this gardening obsession of housewives during this pandemic.  One husband tagged his wife  as " a plant lady". Apparently he  was too scared to say anything so he expressed his suppressed feelings by a post on social media.  

This "plant husband" said he was asked to bring up plants to their bedroom one day only to find that these were two "Jurassic-size palms" (his words).  The taller one was by his night table.  When he asked his wife how much they cost, she said she lost the receipt.  His post encouraged husbands all over Australia to also air their frustrations.  

One said that he came home from a weekend walking a jungle trail to find the entire wall of their master bath covered with hanging plants from the ceiling down.  "I thought I was still in the jungle" , he said.  

Another couldn't watch tv from his vantage point in the dining area because the place was covered with plants. Then there's this husband who when they had guests over couldn't join in the conversation because his face was concealed with vines.  So he just drunk his beer quietly lest his wife would send him dagger looks.  Another husband got tired putting up and down plants so his wife could get good photos of them. 

But I must say here that one housewife countered: "you told me to find a hobby and I found one".  So plant husband, what can you say to that? 

Gardening indeed had become one big pre-occupation during this pandemic.  Almost everyone has a  garden to cultivate, be it big or small.  Some do not really have real gardens but amazingly made do with just containers.  As long as there's a space, horizontal or vertical, we can have a garden. 

A friend cultivated and sold on line succulents and cacti in pretty little containers that her children helped paint.  Some made terrariums with small plants. A resort owner turned the big yard into a vegetable plantation to provide jobs for his employees.  A parish priest planted squash that provided viand for the hungry and unemployed. 

Unknowingly from the beginning, this pre occupation did not get past me as well.  While I've never really stopped gardening,  I became more enthusiastic and determined to enhance my ornamental front lawn because I realized it needed more color.  With the exception of the hibiscus covering the entire front fence, most of my plants are palms.  At the same time, I wanted to keep our backyard exclusively as an edible backyard garden.  

Fortunately for me, I have a dear and generous friend who gave me branches of her Bougainvilleas.  I got a branch each of the Mona Liza that bears red flowers;  the Mr and Mrs, that bears pink and white flowers and the sundown orange variety which in its name alone says what color of flowers they bear. 

That was about eight weeks ago and now I'm happy and more inspired after the twigs started to bear a new leaf or two. This says  I'm successful in propagation. I learned that a mature stem is the key with a few small leaves left.   If the leaves remain fresh and healthy, it means there's hope.  A necessary tip; NEVER TOUCH the plant, keep it steady after it is stacked into the soil and water gently on the sides every other day. 

But I was partly impatient to see some color at once so I went to a nearby nursery and bought a climbing 6-foot tall Mona Liza and 2 crepe myrtles; a red 4-foot tall and a pink which is slightly shorter. 

I asked the nursery owner how her business is faring, I presumed it is slow considering that people aren't freely allowed out of their homes except for necessities.  I was surprised to learn that she was making good.  

Well, gardening for sure has been and still is one of the major pandemic pastimes.  How about you?  Was it baking or gardening that occupied your time?  Do share your most enjoyable and fulfilling pastime during the last 4 months.